An Account of the Holy Baptism in the Fourteenth Century

[The beginning is about the congregations or churches of the Waldenses; about whom it is shown that they existed not only in this century, but long before and after, teaching that the baptism of infants is of no avail.

The seventh article of the confession of the faith of the Waldenses, concerning baptism, is presented; it treats of their confessing the faith, and change of life. [n459-1]

The belief of Dulcinus and his wife Margaret is cited, of whom the papists say that they were exactly like the Waldenses.

For the year 1315, people are introduced whom the papists regarded as heretics, because they held a belief different from that of the Roman church; two of their articles are presented: 1. of baptism; 2. of the swearing of oaths; which we explain further. For the year 1218 the confession of the papists is also shown, by way of censure.

Certain pious people, called apostate Minorite friars, present themselves, who are accused by Pope John the Twenty-second of five articles, one of which is against the swearing of oaths, and the other four against the papal church and her clergy.

Mention is made, for the years 1319, 1330, and 1365, of the Waldenses, whose confession of faith has been shown, in the preceding centuries, not to conflict with that of the Anabaptists; with an account of the severity with which the papists then proceeded against them.

John Wickliffe, in the year 1370, brings forward among other things a certain article declared to conflict with infant baptism; also an article against the swearing of oaths, and so on.

For the years 1372 and 1373, mention is made of certain people who are called Turilupins by John Tilius, but who are declared by others to have been true Waldenses.

Judicial proceedings (in the year 1390) brought against the Waldenses in the countries on the Baltic Sea; with the statement that people of this profession existed in the Saxon countries a full two hundred years before the time of John Huss.

Walter Brute confesses, in the year 1392, that it is not lawful in any case to swear, neither by the Creator nor by the creatures. He also makes a good confession regarding baptism. This is also called the doctrine of W. Swinderby.

J. Mehrning cites a very ancient confession of faith of the Waldenses, which he has had in his own hands; in which it is declared that in the beginning of Christianity no infants were baptized.

A brief notice of the Thessalian brothers, who agree with the so-called Mennists in all articles of religion; also of the custom in Thessalia of baptizing at Whitsuntide; and how Charles, Bishop of Milan, urged the teachers to explain the mystery of baptism diligently to their hearers, so that the confession of the Christian name might be fitting for them.

Saint Barnabas, preaching the holy Gospel at Milan, baptizes in running water. Then mention is made, in a note, for the year 1394, of certain people in Bohemia who sided with the Anabaptists. This is the conclusion.]

"That the church of the Waldenses," says Jacob Mehrning, "after her origin in France and her violent persecution in that country, spread far and wide into Bohemia, Poland, Lombardy, Germany, the Netherlands, and elsewhere, and remained there from the twelfth century until the year 1545 (as is recorded in Bibliotheca Patrum, volume 15, page 300), teaching the invalidity of infant baptism, is testified to by the histories cited in the preceding centuries, and may be seen in Sleidanus, Comment. 16, Jac. Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., page 737, and H. Mont. Nietigh., page 86."

Continuing, J. Mehrning, in the same place, gives an account of the article of baptism from the confession of faith of the Waldenses, saying: "J. Paul Perrin of Lyons, in his history of the Waldenses, relates their confession, the seventh article of which is as follows: 'We believe that in the sacrament of baptism the water is the external and visible sign of the invisible power of God, working in us the renewing of the spirit and the mortifying of our members in Christ Jesus; by which also we are received into the holy congregation of the people of God, testifying and declaring, before the same, our faith and a change of life.'" Concerning this, see also H. Mont. Nietigh., page 86, taken from Charles du Meulin's book of the Monarchy of the French, page 65.

Who does not see that in this place the Waldenses expressly say that in baptism they testify and declare before God their faith and change of life? This was well observed afterward by Jacob du Bois, preacher of the Calvinists at Leyden, though he tried to obscure it by his expositions, Contra Montanum, printed in the year 1648, pages 162, 163; but the truth of the command of Christ: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16, verse 16), is stronger and prevails.

In the year 1305. The learned Leonard Krentzheim, in his Chronicle, writes the following concerning Dulcinus: "Dulcinus and Margaret founded a new sect or heresy (so the papists speak) in every respect like the Anabaptists; which continued until the year, and so on." [n459-2] P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 646, column 1.

In the year 1315. D. A. Mellinus gives an account, for this year, of many orthodox Christians, as he calls them, who were nevertheless called heretics by the papists. He notes several of their articles, which the papists charged against them as heresy, but which we, in order to avoid being too lengthy, will not cite here, except what is brought against them with regard to baptism and oaths.